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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29821293">carlos molina's guide to ghost hood (title subject to change)</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/itsagamefortwo/pseuds/itsagamefortwo'>itsagamefortwo</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Julie and The Phantoms (TV 2020)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Gen, Mild Swearing, there's a link to a power point for the best experince, what do i even tag this as dfgfjkg</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-03-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 19:56:02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,973</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29821293</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/itsagamefortwo/pseuds/itsagamefortwo</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>alex has questions about their after life, reggie wants to learn how to make a power point and carlos has got a brand new notebook. </p><p>
  <b>
    <i>Carlos Molina’s Guide to Ghosting.</i>
  </b>
  <br/>
  <b>
    <i>So you became a ghost, huh?</i>
  </b>
  <br/>
  <i>(working title, subject to change)</i>
  <br/>
  <i>By Carlos Molina, with special thanks to Reggie Peters and Willie Skateboard.</i>
  <br/>
  <i>1st Edition.</i>
  <br/>
  <i>Dedicated to Alex Mercer, so he can stop asking so many questions. We’re working on it buddy.</i>
</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Alex Mercer/Willie (Julie and The Phantoms), Julie Molina/Luke Patterson</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>68</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>203</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>carlos molina's guide to ghost hood (title subject to change)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p><a href="https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1hfvpQEErArNS0UAKY06Z9h8O1Q2iH-9zTHtIWqOqrWs/edit?usp=sharing">HERE </a>is the power point , would highly recommend clicking it for full effect of the fic, but imagine it's been presented by Carlos and Reggie wearing a sheet.;</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The tape recorder lets out a low buzzing sound as Carlos presses a button on the side and stands it up between them on the dining room table. Julie shoots an amused glance at Reggie who’s taken up residence in the chair next to him, the two of them flipping open notebooks and clutching pencils. <b><br/>
</b></p><p>“Where did you even find a tape recorder?” She wonders, stretching out a finger to touch the silver rectangle only for her hand to be swatted away by Reggie.</p><p>“Found it in a box of moms stuff and dad said we could order some tapes from amazon,” Carlos replies matter of factly, straightening up in his chair once he seems to have found the page he was looking for. “Right. Let's start off easy, shall we?” </p><p>He looks at her expectantly and Julie rolls her eyes, waving a hand at the two of them, “Lets.” </p><p>“Question one,” Carlos taps his pencil at the top of his page before squinting at her, “Did you conduct any séance related activities before the ghosts showed up?” </p><p>Julie blinks at him, wondering if he’s joking but the pair of them just look back at her, heads both slightly tilted and it’s at that moment that she realises how serious they’re going to be about this. It was going to be a long afternoon of questioning apparently. </p><p>“No, I didn’t conduct any séance related activities. I just put on their CD and they y’know, fell out of the sky.” </p><p>“Interesting, interesting,” Carlos mutters as he looks at Reggie’s notebook as the older boy writes her answer down, underlines something and taps it with his pencil that makes Carlos let out a small hm. “So you don’t know anything about the dark room? Didn’t make any wishes?” </p><p>“No,” Julie shakes her head, watches Reggie write something else down and tilt his notebook to Carlos. It’s weird, watching them communicate like that, like they’ve created a shorthand between them and don’t even require her presence to have a conversation. Which is obviously true because they’ve clearly discussed all this beforehand. </p><p>“You walked through Luke right? What did that feel like to you?” Reggie’s question catches her off guard and she looks between them, but Carlos is already looking at her, waiting for her answer. </p><p>“It was um cold? But also not. I--” she frowns, trying to think back to that first night in the kitchen when she’d turned around and walked through him. Back when she’s barely known any of them and was more annoyed by their presence then comforted. “It was weird. The first few seconds after I walked through him I just felt cold but then it was like a rush of warmth? You know when you get one of those random shivers that runs through your whole body? It feels all weird and tingly but also kinda nice? Like that.” </p><p>“Did it feel like you got a feel of Luke?” Carlos asks and Julie shrugs, a slight blush on her cheeks and somehow, despite the fact they can’t see each other, the two of them share a look. </p><p>“What’s the next question,” anything to move off the topic of walking through Luke and how it felt. </p>
<hr/><p>“Oh Julie is gonna be so pissed at you guys,” Alex mutters but makes no move to step in and stop the ‘experiment’ currently going on. He watches as Reggie tries to put a hand on Carlos’ shoulder, fingers phasing through the younger boy's jacket with a frown. </p><p>“She won't be pissed if it works,” is all Reggie says, face morphing into one of concentration as he slowly lowers his hand on to Carlos’ shoulder again. </p><p>For his part, Carlos bounces slightly on his toes, eyes fixed on the notebook in Alex’s hand in case they need to tell him something. And okay, Alex might not fully agree with the way the two of them are going about this whole thing, but he can’t say he’s not on board with it. Their whole stint as ghosts has been nothing but confusion after confusion that not even Willie has answers for. Does he think Reggie and Carlos are going to uncover some fundamental thing that makes them the way they are? Probably not. Will they maybe get him some kind of answer? God he hopes so. </p><p>Especially since there’s been small moments in the last few weeks where Ray and Carlos have been able to hear them even without them playing music or Julie nearby. Which had scared all of them. Thought it was nothing compared to Ray’s reaction when he’d apparently walked into the kitchen to find Julie and Luke hugging, only for him to vanish when they suddenly let go. It was a hell of a way to find out they could be seen if they were touching her. </p><p>“Oh!” Carlos suddenly exclaims, head whipping to look at his shoulder where Reggie’s hand is resting solidly on the fabric of the jacket. Alex feels his eyes widen a fraction and watches Reggie’s smile widen as he squeezes slightly on Carlos’ shoulder. “Oh my god! I can feel that!” </p><p>“Holy shit,” Alex whispers, grip on the pencil in his fingers growing. </p><p>“Hey! I heard that too! Quick! Write it down! 30 minutes and- and however many attempts it took!” Carlos grins, face turning towards him and Alex doesn’t even have time to feel guilty about swearing before he’s scribbling in Reggie’s notebook.</p>
<hr/><p>“Thanks again for taking me,” Carlos says as he pulls his seat belt across his chest and clicks it in, eyes drifting from his tia in the front seat to the little notebook resting on the back seat and the pencil that’s hovering just a few inches off the paper. Subtly he sees it tap on the page, once, twice, and he bites down on his grin, tucking his hands under his thighs to stop from bouncing in his seat. They’re ready. </p><p>“Of course mijo,” Victoria smiles over at him as she turns on the engine, fingers already messing with the buttons on the radio to find her favourite station. “I have to say I’m impressed. Planning ahead for your dad's birthday.” </p><p>“Mhm,” he agrees, his eyes on the notebook that he can just see in the rearview mirror. The pencils resting between the creases in the pages and he holds his breath as the radio jumps to a different station. </p><p>Victoria frowns slightly, her eyes darting from the road to the radio and back, hand reaching out to change it back. When it jumps to another station. And another. Carlos feels his eyes widen a little, legs bouncing on top of his hands as he watches the radio cycle through station after station, only lingers for a few seconds on each before moving on. </p><p>Finally it stops, the words of <em>Despacito </em>ringing through the car and it’s lucky they’re at a red light he thinks, because when Victoria tries to change it it jumps right back. </p><p>“What the f-” she starts, the furrow between her brows growing deeper and the knuckles on her hand that’s still gripping the wheel turning white. </p><p>“Can we leave it? I like this song,” he looks over at her with a smile, blinking in what he hopes is a completely innocent way. He’s pretty sure she’s too distracted by the radio to question it. </p><p>“Sure, sure,” she mutters, not even looking at him, eyes going from the road to the radio. </p><p>The song ends and from the corner of his eye he can see the pencil in the back moving, Reggie or Willie writing something down and he has to stop himself from turning around to see what it is. Instead he watches as tia starts changing the radio station again, her fingers never leaving the touch screen as if that was the problem. But the second she lands on her favourite 80’s classics station and is moving her fingers away it changes. Skipping through stations again until <em>Despacito </em>is once again filling the car. </p><p>It’s probably lucky that they’re at another red light and that there’s no one behind them because her eyes widen and she’s suddenly saying words in Spanish that he knows he shouldn’t know and is pulling over to the side of the road. </p><p>“We have to get out! The car is being possessed! Out, out Carlos! Come on!” Her seat belt is off and her door is open before Carlos even has a chance to process what’s happening. The notebook from the back is pushed in front of his face and he tilts his head a little to side to read Reggie’s familiar handwriting, </p><p>Too far? </p><p>“Maybe,” he whispers back, taking the notebook out of the ghost's hand as he starts to get out of the car, plucking the pencil out of the metal spirals and making a note about not pushing tia in a moving vehicle and to wait until after they’ve gone shopping first. </p><p>She’s got her phone pressed to ear when he joins her on the sidewalk, pacing up and down. Carlos is pretty sure there’s going to be a family dinner story time in their near future. </p>
<hr/><p>Luke watches as Carlos sets his tape recorder up, idly plucking out a half finished tune on his guitar in order to be seen and heard. He doesn’t really get the other boys interest in figuring out their ghostly state of being. The same way he doesn’t really care about finding answers to all of Alex’s questions. </p><p>They ate some bad street dogs. They died. Julie brought them back and then she saved them a second time. They can play music and sometimes be seen. He already has all the answers he needs and it’s two words: Julie Molina. </p><p>Would it be nice to know what the black room was? Sure. Did he sometimes wonder why they could be seen but other ghosts couldn't? Sometimes. Did he want answers? Only if someone was going to give them to him without having to do the work. Was he going to sit here and answer all of Carlos’ questions because it was important to him and to the others? Fuck yeah he was. </p><p>“Does that think pick up our voices even if we’re not playing and not near Julie?” He nods at the recorder on the table after Carlos hits a button. </p><p>“Yeah! It’s so cool too. You sound like, all static-y and I have to listen really hard sometimes because your voices fade in and out but they’re there!” </p><p>Okay, Luke can admit that is pretty cool, “That’s wicked. Maybe we should start using that to communicate instead of writing.” He was really sick of people commenting on his handwriting. </p><p>“Dude that’s genius! It would be like leaving each other voice notes!” He gestures in the air with his pencil the same way Julie does when she’s realised the issue with a verse and Luke smiles softly. He doesn’t know what voice notes are, but he’s glad he could contribute to the communication issue. </p><p>“What questions have you got for me then little dude?” He raises an eyebrow at Carlos as he flips through his notebook. </p>
<hr/><p>When he’d first knocked Alex down Willie never thought it would lead to him sitting in the Molina’s family living room, a whiteboard resting on his knees as a twelve year old shows him bar graphs and pie charts of information on ghosts. </p><p>There was probably some kind of domino-butterfly effect going on that had led him here. But he’s too busy trying to fit all his know ghost knowledge onto a whiteboard so Carlos can fill in the gaps in his knowledge. </p><p>Over the years Willie has met a lot of lifers, has interacted with a handful at the HGC but he’s never met a family like the Molina’s. Who found out ghosts were real and instead of running, or trying to profit off of them, had just...welcomed them into the family. Arms wide and hearts open. </p><p>And more than that, here was Carlos trying to get answers to questions that none of them really had an answer too. </p><p>“Black room, yes or no?” Carlos asks, holding up a flash card and a clothes peg, ready to add it to the line of string stretching across the room. It was already littered with other cards in an order that Willie really didn’t understand but seemed to make perfect sense to the younger boy and Reggie. </p><p>Not for me, or anyone I asked at the club, he scribbles down, turning to the board around. </p><p>“Just like we thought,” he nods to himself, taking two steps to the left and reaching up to attach the card, “An anomaly.” he whispers it to himself and Willie has to bite his lip to stop from smiling before remembering that Carlos can’t actually see him. </p><p>“Hey,” Alex’s voice from the doorway drags his gaze away from the lifer and the smile he’d been trying to stop spreads across his face, “How’s it going?”</p><p>“I don’t think we’re even half way through,” he chuckles, gesturing with one hand at the stack of flashcards and the charts he hasn’t even seen yet. “Do you understand this system?” </p><p>The exasperated laugh that leaves Alex’s lips is answer enough before he’s even shaking his head, strands of blonde hair dipping into his eyes and Willie wants to reach to move away, “Not a clue. They’ve tried to explain it to us but it makes zero sense to anyone but them.”  </p><p>“Hey, Alex, stop distracting him, we’re working here!” Carlos’ voice makes him jump, head turning back to where he’s standing with his arms crossed and shaking his head in disappointment in the vague direction of where Alex is standing. </p><p>“Wait, can he see you?” Willie frowns, mind trying to remember if he knew this or not. </p><p>“No, he’s just really good at sensing us these days,” Alex sighs, but there’s a fond look in his eyes as he looks at Carlos, “He says it’s his ghost powers kicking in from how often he hangs out with Reggie and from all the failed teleportation experiments.” </p><p>“The failed what now?” </p><p>“Oh, you’ll find out. I think it’s section 7?” Alex grins, pushing off from where he’d been leaning against the doorway and waving.</p><p>Willie turns back to Carlos feeling a little more confused than he had minutes ago but also much more intrigued about teleportation experiments. And if he could help get some answers for any of the many questions Alex had, that was cool too.</p>
<hr/>
<h2>
<b>Carlos Molina’s Guide to Ghosting.<br/>
</b><b>So you became a ghost, huh?</b>
</h2>
<p></p><blockquote>
  <p> (working title, subject to change)</p>
  <p>By Carlos Molina, with special thanks to Reggie Peters and Willie Skateboard. </p>
  <p>
    <em>1st Edition. </em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>Dedicated to Alex Mercer, so he can stop asking so many questions. We’re working on it buddy.</em>
  </p>
</blockquote><p>
  <b>1. Tangibility </b>
</p>
<ul>
<li>They can walk through anything (except my sister now, reasons still unclear). </li>
<li>Works especially well with walls, doors and locked vaults (see exhibit a) </li>
<li>When they walk through people it “allows them to get a feel for the person” – Reggie Peters. “It’s weird” – Alex Mercer. No comment from Luke Patterson as he was too busy staring at Julie. </li>

</ul><p><b>2.</b> <b>Souls</b></p>
<ul>
<li>Objects can be attached to their souls. </li>
<li>Still unclear if it has to be an object that they were close to in life, or if they can attach their souls to any object once a ghost. </li>
<li>Experiments with Reggie Peters are still ongoing. Updates will follow.</li>
</ul><p>
  <b>3. Being Seen</b>
</p>
<ul>
<li>Can be seen by “lifers*” when they play music with Julie. </li>
<li>This is the first rule which only applies to our ghosts. </li>
<li>They can be heard when they play music without Julie. This is also unclear as to why, working theory is “Our music is just so awesome it transcends deaths!” – Luke Patterson.</li>
<li>Mr Willie Skateboard was quick to point out it’s “weird” and “ghosts aren’t supposed to be seen by lifers.”</li>
</ul><p>
  <b>4. Touching</b>
</p>
<ul>
<li>Our ghosts can now touch Julie. The biggest change in their afterlife. </li>
<li>Still no explanation for it. Experiments are ongoing (see exhibit b) </li>
<li>Have witnessed Julie hugging the air many times only for Alex or Willie to appear. Same with hand holding. (see exhibit c for dads reaction) </li>
</ul><p>
  <b>5. Magic</b>
</p>
<ul>
<li>Some ghosts have powers and abilities. </li>
<li>Willie* can control different types of technology. Appears to work best with cars. This we believe correlates with who a ghost dies. </li>
<li>In our expedition to test his skills he skipped through 15 different radio stations of Tia’s car until he found one playing <em>despacito</em>. Test was a success. Tia does think her car is haunted now however.</li>
</ul><p>
  <b>6. ???</b>
</p>
<ul>
<li>There was a dark room. </li>
<li>All other ghosts interviewed had never heard of it before. </li>
<li>All our ghosts agreed it was weird and creepy. </li>
<li>We are choosing to pretend it didn’t happen. </li>
<li>Working theory: a hole in time that they fell through. Must find a way to test.</li>
</ul><p>
  <b>7. Teleporting</b>
</p><p>
  <em>part 1)</em>
</p>
<ul>
<li>Ghosts can teleport wherever they want in the world. </li>
<li>Only the most powerful can teleport a lifer with them (will keep attempting)</li>
</ul><p>
  <em>part b) </em>
</p>
<ul>
<li>Our ghosts can pinpoint Julie’s exact location wherever she may be in the world. </li>
<li>Will be helpful if she is ever kidnapped, Julie however wishes they would stop using said power to find her in gym class.</li>
<li>“I already have find my friend activated” – Flynn had to say on the matter. </li>
</ul><p>
  <em>part c) </em>
</p>
<ul>
<li>Julie can summon the boys to her if she concentrates hard enough. Came in handy when an evil magician tried to kidnap them.</li>
<li>Also possibly how they escaped the dark room, no way to prove or deny this as dad won’t let me eat a bad hotdog to become a ghost.</li>
<li>Working theory: magic of music and family </li>
<li>See Exhibit d </li>
<li>See Exhibit e  </li>
</ul>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>i just feel like i should apologies for this?? it's so....weird and out of control dghdf but i had a really fun time making the power point so! and i guess if anyone actually liked this i could make a 2nd edition with their updated experiments and newly discovered rules/skills<br/>but yes okay anyway now this is out of my system i shall get on with my other wips sdfh</p><p>anyway!!!<br/>i hope you're all staying safe in these hard times.<br/>hope you enjoyed! comments and kudos are appreciated!! mwah xox<br/>you can also find me on <a href="https://tangledstarlight.tumblr.com/"></a>tumblr where i post vague writing updates of me slowly loosing the plot!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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